Scarlets and Mantids and OMFG DEATH, Oh My

They call this a STATUS MOUNT. Yeah, that’s right. It may not be as statusy as Invincible, but you can’t see that one anyway. (p.s., can somebody explain to me why I can ride some flying mounts everywhere, even in instances – say, the Sky Golem – but others won’t let me do the same? They’re all “flying” mounts to me, so I don’t get the distinction.)

A FREAKING DISASTER! Also, I think the shoulder totems/torches/cannons talk when I cast. I have enough voices to start with, so I really don’t know how I feel about adding two more to the choir. I guess it would be appropriate if one talking tiki cannon represented Good Prinnie. Good Prinnie is the Prinnie known for her non-destructive works, like the times when I hit Ghost Wolf before the invis potion button thereby avoiding aggro for the greater good, or when I remembered to heal the tank keep the tank alive when the actual healer was getting mana, thereby saving time for the greater good. The other talking tiki cannon would represent Derp Prinnie. Derp Prinnie runs around in circles in the Siege of Niuzao, trailing all the adds everywhere while helpfully screaming “OGOD ALL THE ADDS” in Vent. In my defense, I thought we were gonna restart the attempt (we didn’t).

Completing all Challenge mode dungeons at the bronze level will net you “the Undaunted” title. This is a very handy dandy title that serves to prove that you will NOT be stopped by the whim of RNG or even the pain of frequent, repeat death. (YES. YOU HEAR THAT!? I AM NOT DAUNTED BY YOU, RNG!) You can get the mount for all silver runs. The transmog set is only available to those souls who have completed all the Challenge mode dungeons at a gold level (a.k.a., within a narrow, often annoyingly short time limit).

You gotta be READY for Challenge modes. CMs are all like, “you think you know these dungeons, eh? Feel pretty comfy in your tier gear? Used to that legendary DPS cloak proc that tentacles all the adds dead?” A CM dungeon will then laugh its ass off and tear you a new one while you sob about your favorite set bonus that no longer counts, or the fact that your invis pot didn’t last long enough for you to actually jump over the edge and engage Gekkan without also engaging sixteen bazillion adds. Challenge modes like to see you suffer. A CM dungeon will take one look at that fancy food you just ate and then kill you dead so you have to eat something else all over again.

The level of difficulty meant that Bombelina was the only one who could do Challenge modes, relegating every other alt to support staff status. As a result, other characters with CM mog sets I liked better found themselves playing second fiddle despite mog usually being my top priority. Ailabeth got stuck serving time in a damp cave out in Un’goro, looking for stupid mushrooms. On the plus side, she discovered she could pass the time by one-shotting the gorillas with Shadow Word: Pain. She eventually emptied the entire place. Think about it, man – Bombelina, Ailabeth and an entire species were all devastated by Challenge modes!

Most of My Screenshots Look Like ThisBecause derp

My partners in crime in this endeavor were Goa, Kash, Shanthi and Shudal. They’re all on the same server and in the same guild, which is good, because that means they’re all freaking heroic raiders (a.k.a., this kinda stuff doesn’t really phase them because lol it’s just timing). Basically, it was all thanks to them that this went over well. I kinda set the low bar in terms of overall performance. Since gear is scaled down, it’s obviously a skill thing, but I shall pretend otherwise. Seeking to deflect attention from my inadequacies, I totally say it’s because I was obviously busy dropping the combustostunulator totem and running away, or bringing out one of my elementals and running away, or trying to put down Healing Stream and running away … multitasking. Yeah.

If I’m Alive Enough To Yell, I’m FineIt’s IMPORTANT to state how I feel.

My reactions to each dungeon were somewhat varied, depending on how painful the experience was.

Scarlet Halls
I don’t even remember this one anymore, which means it wasn’t that traumatic.

Mogu’shan Palace
Ffffffffff invis potions jeebus cripes get in the car it’s a lot of saurok.

Scholomance
Even though I’ve seen that ice wall a million times and know it’s coming, it turns out that ice walls can still freak me out bad.

Siege of Niuzao
THERE ARE ADDS EVERYWHERE THERE IS NOTHING THAT ISN’T AN ADD THAT ISN’T BAD.

Gate of the Setting Sun
Bombelina doesn’t like to be on the receiving end of multiple bombs.

Temple of the Jade Serpent
I still can’t run in nice, even circles. I do more of an oval. Or this kinda wobbly sort of shape …

Shado-Pan Monastery
Pandas are pushovers.

Stormstout Brewery
If I ever see another hozen, it’ll be too soon (and it’s gonna be a dead hozen).

Scarlet Monastery
So, elemental shamans get Solar Beam when a druid uses Symbiosis on them. 98% of the time, this is entirely regrettable and utterly pointless. BUT HOLY CRAP, IS IT USEFUL HERE OR WHAT!

It’ll probably be a cold day in hell before you see me in another Challenge Mode dungeon.